Using segments to build bigger segments

  • 1 September 2021
  • 4 replies
  • 30 views

Badge +2

When creating segments, you can include lists, but you cannot include other segments as segmentation criteria.

Why not? Other ESPs and CRM tools do offer this feature, and it is very helpful.

Why is it very helpful? 

I’ll give you an example:

Let’s say you want to create a segment that includes:

  • Everybody in a certain list; 
  • Everybody who last logged in to your website less than 90 days ago, AND who is opted in; OR
  • Everybody who last opened an email from you less than 90 days ago.

If you have pre-built segments for:

“everybody who last logged in to your website less than 90 days ago, AND who is opted in; and

“everybody who last opened an email from you less than 90 days ago”, 

every time you want to use these segments to create other groups, you can just use these pre-made segments as inclusion criteria, rather than having to select and combine a range of properties every single time you want to create a similar, but not identical segment. This functionality would save time, and it would also reduce the margin of error as long as the foundation segments are correct. 

 

Thanks!


4 replies

Userlevel 7
Badge +58

Hi @ejvfscribbler ,

Thanks for your insight in the Community!

I see great value in what you are suggesting and it would definitely be a great addition to have within Klaviyo. I can submit a product feature request on your behalf and update this board once we have implemented this feature!

A workaround we have right now to achieve the same thing would be to add the conditions of Segment A into Segment B. This can be done quickly by re-creating Segment B, just create a similar segment for Segment A (click into Segment A then click Manage Segment > Create Similar Segment). Then just add in your other conditions for Segment B and you're ready to go. By cloning a segment, you can work off segment B while excluding Segment A from being touched. 

Depending on the number of conditions you have, this can range from simple to incredibly tedious.  An alternative to this would be to clone your current Segment A and convert it to a list.  From there, you can exclude all users in that list from segment B.  The one drawback to this is that users who enter segment A after it has been converted to a list would not be updated/added to this segment and therefore would be unaccounted for.  So if it's just for a quick fix for a campaign send, this is definitely viable, otherwise I'd steer clear of this option moving forward.

 

Hope this helped!

Alex

Userlevel 7
Badge +57

@ejvfscribbler - Welcome to the community! While I agree that segments of segment is a good idea, I think sometimes they can cause some interdependent issues and make the outcome confusing?

Let’s say:

Segment A = Opened Email AND in Segment B

Segment B = Opened Email AND in Segment A

If a user opens an email, are they in Both, or Neither?  If Segments are somehow processed simultaneously, then perhaps the user will be in Both.  If Segment A is process before Segment B, or vice versa, then perhaps the user is in neither?

This is a simple example, but in very elaborate or complex Segments, there might be rules like this that overlap somehow down the chain!

This “Liar Paradox” can obviously be checked to prevent you from creating these type of self-referencing Segments, but it’s kind of an interesting dilemma.

For extra credit, try this in a Spreadsheet: Cell A = Cell B, Cell B = Cell A.

 

Badge +2

@ejvfscribbler - Welcome to the community! While I agree that segments of segment is a good idea, I think sometimes they can cause some interdependent issues and make the outcome confusing?

Let’s say:

Segment A = Opened Email AND in Segment B

Segment B = Opened Email AND in Segment A

If a user opens an email, are they in Both, or Neither?  If Segments are somehow processed simultaneously, then perhaps the user will be in Both.  If Segment A is process before Segment B, or vice versa, then perhaps the user is in neither?

This is a simple example, but in very elaborate or complex Segments, there might be rules like this that overlap somehow down the chain!

This “Liar Paradox” can obviously be checked to prevent you from creating these type of self-referencing Segments, but it’s kind of an interesting dilemma.

For extra credit, try this in a Spreadsheet: Cell A = Cell B, Cell B = Cell A.

 

I think the simple solution is that they should be in both :) 

Badge +2

Hi @ejvfscribbler ,

Thanks for your insight in the Community!

I see great value in what you are suggesting and it would definitely be a great addition to have within Klaviyo. I can submit a product feature request on your behalf and update this board once we have implemented this feature!

A workaround we have right now to achieve the same thing would be to add the conditions of Segment A into Segment B. This can be done quickly by re-creating Segment B, just create a similar segment for Segment A (click into Segment A then click Manage Segment > Create Similar Segment). Then just add in your other conditions for Segment B and you're ready to go. By cloning a segment, you can work off segment B while excluding Segment A from being touched. 

Depending on the number of conditions you have, this can range from simple to incredibly tedious.  An alternative to this would be to clone your current Segment A and convert it to a list.  From there, you can exclude all users in that list from segment B.  The one drawback to this is that users who enter segment A after it has been converted to a list would not be updated/added to this segment and therefore would be unaccounted for.  So if it's just for a quick fix for a campaign send, this is definitely viable, otherwise I'd steer clear of this option moving forward.

 

Hope this helped!

Alex

Thank you!

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